Grounding QRI in First Principles (Part I): Bridging Computation and Philosophy

Join us for an in-depth discussion that bridges computational and implementation perspectives on the mind, grounding the Qualia Research Institute (QRI) from first principles for those already somewhat familiar with the philosophy of mind. Filmed after a QRI meetup in Berlin, this conversation between QRI collaborator Libor Burian and Andrés Gómez Emilsson provides an overview of our research and methodologies.

00:00 Introduction and Berlin Meetup
00:32 Exploring Functionalism and Implementationalism
00:55 Philosophical Background and Assumptions
02:55 Motivation and Goals of QRI
06:24 Defining Consciousness and Qualia
07:42 Qualia Formalism and Mathematical Modeling
10:32 Oneness and Valence Realism
14:54 Non-Materialist Physicalist Idealism
20:40 Physics and Mathematics in QRI
23:00 Electromagnetism and Quantum Mechanics
33:45 Binding and Boundary Problems
36:33 Marr's Levels of Analysis
38:24 Implementation and Algorithmic Levels
50:43 Simulations and Consciousness
51:30 Interactions Between Levels
52:07 Material Independence of Consciousness
52:46 Quantum Mechanics and Algorithms
53:27 Electromagnetic Field and Computation
53:43 Hardware Accelerators in Computing
55:54 Top-Down Effects in Neurodynamics
57:47 Topology in Electromagnetic Fields
01:01:03 Boundary and Binding Problems
01:03:22 Weak vs. Strong Emergence
01:05:31 Frame Invariance and Hard Boundaries
01:07:59 Computational Classes and Consciousness
01:42:03 Ethical Implications of Conscious Computing

Qualia Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute studying consciousness in a consistent, meaningful, and rigorous way. Visit our website at https://qri.org for more information about our research and find out ways to contribute.

Andrés Gómez Emilsson - https://x.com/algekalipso
Libor Burian - https://x.com/burny_tech